Glossary

Glossary
The third column provides space to add your own notes. This could be a sentence which uses
the term, for example, to help your understanding. Alternatively, you could add in a
translation in your own language, if this is appropriate.
Note: Terms within a definition that appear in bold type are also defined in the
glossary.
Term Definition Comment or Mother tongue

term
.css See cascading stylesheet
.csv See comma separated values
.gif See GIF
.htm See HTML
.jpg See JPEG
.mp3 See MPEG-3
.mp4 See MPEG-4
.pdf See PDF
.png See PNG
.rar See RAR
.rtf See rich text format
.txt See text file
.zip See zip
3D inkjet An output device that
printer produces solid 3D models
using a modified inkjet
printer and resins to
replace inks.
A
abnormal data Data that is of the wrong
type (e.g. text in a numeric
field) or is outside the
accepted range (e.g. an
exam mark percentage of
110).
absolute Fixes a cell reference
referencing within a spreadsheet so
that when the formula is
copied this cell reference
never changes.
absolute value Fixes a value so that it
cannot change, for example
in a webpage a table width
can be set to 300 points.
Cambridge IGCSE ICT Second Edition © Graham Brown, Brian Sargent and David Watson 2015
This table will always
remain 300 points wide and
will not change if the size of
the browser window is
changed.
access point Used in wireless networks
to allow access to the
network at various points
using wireless technology
(e.g. an airport will have
several APs allowing 100
per cent coverage for
users).
actuator A transducer which takes
signals from a computer
and converts them into
some form of motion (e.g.
motors, pumps, valves etc.).
administrator The person who is in
control of a computer
network.
ADSL See asymmetric digital
subscriber
algorithm A set of rules which shows
how to solve a problem.
alphanumeric A field type where any
character is acceptable
input – sometimes called
text.
analogue data Data which represents
physical constantly varying
quantities such as time,
temperature, etc.
analogue A device/apparatus that
device measures information that
is continuously changing
(analogue data), e.g. an
analogue sensor.
analogue See analogue device
sensor
analogue to A device used to convert
digital analogue signals (usually
converter from sensors) into digital
(ADC) signals which can then be
understood and processed
by a computer.
animation A rapidly changing set of
images (either in 2D or 3D)
which creates the illusion
of actual movement.
anti-spyware Software that detects and
removes/isolates spyware.
anti-virus Software that detects and
removes/ isolates computer
viruses.
AP See access point
applications Software that enables a
software user to carry out a specific
function on a computer e.g.
spreadsheet, word
processor, database, etc.
ascender The part of a lowercase
letter (b, d, f, h, k, l or t),
that extends above the
body of the letters.
ascii An abbreviation for
American Standard Code
for Information Interchange.
This is the standard set of
codes (numbers) used by
the computer to identify
each letter and symbol of
the character set (on the
keyboard).
aspect ratio The proportion of length to
width of an image.
Maintaining the aspect ratio
means to keep the original
proportion of the image
(without distortion) and is
usually needed when
images are resized.
asymmetric High-speed internet access
digital service that uses existing
subscriber line telephone networks to
send/receive data at much
faster speeds than a dial-up
modem.
ATM See automatic teller
machine
attachment A document/file sent with
an email which requires the
recipient to open it to read/
see/listen to the contents.
attribute Provide additional
information about HTML
elements. Attributes follow
the start tag and come in
name/value pairs. E.g.
<table border=”1”> where
the table tag has an
attribute called border
which has a value set to 1.
audience notes Printed copies of the slides
from a presentation, which
are given to the audience
so that they can take them
away and refer to them
after the presentation.
authentication The process of determining
whether someone is in fact
who they claim to be; the
most common form of
authentication is user IDs
and passwords, but there
are others (e.g. biometric
data).
automatic A machine where
teller machine customers can access their
bank accounts using a card
and PIN; usually used to
withdraw cash from their
account.
AutoSum A function within Microsoft
Excel that adds together
the contents of a number of
cells.
AVERAGE A function within Microsoft
Excel that calculates the
mean (average) of a list of
numbers.
B
back-end Is a database that is
database accessed through an
application program rather
than the database software.
It does not store database
elements like queries,
forms or reports.
back up A copy of a file/data on a
different medium (e.g. disk,
flash drive, CD, etc.) in case
of problems with the
internal hard disk drive.
backing Secondary storage device
storage that allows a user to back
up data from a computer
system (e.g. CD, DVD, floppy
disk, memory stick).
bandwidth This is a reference to the
range of frequencies a
communication channel can
handle. The bigger the
bandwidth the more data
can be sent and received at
the same time. The amount
of data that can be
communicated also relies
upon the transfer rate. This
is often used to describe
Internet connection, with
the term broadband
meaning it has more than
3KHz (although in real
terms at least 300MHz is
needed in current systems).
barcode Optical machine-readable
representation of data that
uses thick and thin lines to
represent numbers.
barcode reader An input device that can
read/scan barcodes using
laser light.
basic Code used to tell computer
input/output what to do when it first
system (BIOS) starts up (sometimes
referred to as the boot).
batch System where all the data
processing is first gathered together
before it is processed all in
one go without further need
of human intervention. It is
used in billing systems and
cheque processing, for
example.
behaviour layer One of the 3 layers in
webpage development. The
behaviour layer is used to
do ‘an action’ (rather than
just display or link to other
pages) and often uses
script languages embedded
into the HTML. There are
many different script
languages but the most
common for web
development are
Javascript, PHP, Perl and
CGI.
BIOS See basic input/output
system
bit Short for binary digit and
equal to a 1 or a 0; the
fundamental memory unit.
bit map Representation, consisting
of rows and columns of
dots, of a graphical image
in a computer. The density
of the dots is called the
resolution. In computer
screens/monitors the dots
are referred to as a pixels.
blogger Someone who maintains a
blog.
blogs Short for web log; a
webpage which is accessed
by the public, who can read
or write messages.
Bluetooth Open wireless protocol over
a short distance that allows
devices to communicate
using radio waves instead
of wires.
blu-ray disk An optical disk with very
large capacity (currently
the largest of all the optical
media) using laser light
close to the blue/violet
spectra, which permits
much larger storage
capacity.
body The section of HTML in a
webpage that contains the
contents (e.g. text, images,
etc) and the tags describing
the content, hyperlinks and
structure (e.g. tables used
to lay out the page) of a
webpage.
body text The basic style of text
within a document,
commonly used for all of
the paragraphs.
bookmark The address (URL) of a
webpage saved by a user so
that it can be revisited at
some later date.
Boolean data Data that can have only two
possible answers: true (1)
or false (0).
boot file Code used to tell computer
what to do when it first
starts up (sometimes
referred to as the BIOS).
break A split between two pages,
sections or columns, or
inserted to force text
wrapping at the end of a
line of text.
bridge A device that connects one
LAN to another LAN that
uses the same protocol.
brightness Is a measure of the
intensity of light from a
point on an image. It is a
measure of the amount of
red, green and blue light
reflected from, or
transmitted through any
given point on an image. It
is sometimes called
luminous brightness.
broadband A telecommunications
method in which a wide
band of frequencies is
available to transmit data.
It allows internet traffic and
normal telephone traffic to
share the same
communication lines.
browse To read and navigate
through a series of
webpages received from
the internet.
browser See web browser
bus network Type of network where all
the stations are connected
to a central cable.
byte A unit of memory (usually
equal to eight binary bits);
more commonly shown as
Kbyte (just over one
thousand bytes), Mbyte (one
million bytes), Gbyte
(1000MB) or Terrabyte
(1000GB).
C
CAD software See computer-aided design
software
cascading A stylesheet saved in CSS
stylesheet format with a .css file
extension. This allows the
stylesheet to be attached to
each webpage to define
how to display the content
layer of a webpage, without
the page needing to contain
the style tags. If a number
of cascading stylesheets
are used, the multiple style
definitions will cascade
into one.
cathode ray An older type of monitor
tube monitor that has an electron beam
directed towards a screen
coated in phosphors which
glow when hit by the beam.
Screens are refreshed 25
times a second.
CD-R Optical storage device that
can be recorded on only
once.
CD-RW Optical storage device that
can be recorded on more
than once, i.e. can be
rewritten.
cell padding An HTML attribute used
with the table tag to specify
the space between the cell
wall and the cell content.
cell spacing An HTML attribute used
with the table tag to specify
the space between the
cells.
central The part of the computer
processing that interprets and
unit executes commands from
computer hardware and
software.
changeover A stage in systems analysis
where the new system is
introduced by one of four
methods: direct, parallel,
pilot or phased changeover.
check digit An extra digit added to a
number (often at the end)
which is used to check for
errors during
transmission/reading of the
number, e.g. in barcodes.
chip and PIN A technology that is used in
debit and credit cards for
payment in stores or use
with ATMS. The chip is read
by a card reader machine
and compares it with the
number typed in by the
customer. It helps to
ensures security of
transactions.
chip and PIN A technology that is used
readers with credit/debit/loyalty
cards which contain a chip
as well as a magnetic
stripe. These are used at
EFTPOS terminals, where
the customer enters their
PIN using a keypad and this
is compared with the
number stored on the chip.
CLI See command line interface
clipboard A temporary storage area
used by the operating
system to hold information
that you cut or copy it,
ready to be pasted at a
later time.
closed Is a question which has
question only specified answers like
"yes" or "no", or a multiple
choice question. Users are
always restricted to the
answers that they can give
in a closed question. For
example: “Do you like
school? Answer Y or N”. A
similar open question is
“How do you feel about
school?”
CMOS See complementary metal
oxide semiconductor
colour depth Is the number of bits used
to store the colours in each
pixel. It is sometimes called
bit depth or bits per pixel
(bpp). For example: If an
image has 24bit colour
depth tis would be
displayed as 224 colours
(about 16.7 million), which
would only be visible on a
computer with a 24 bit
graphics card (video
adapter) and suitable
monitor. A 24 bit colour
depth has 8 bits per
channel (red, green, blue).
comma A file format (.csv) used to
separated hold tabular data, e.g. from
values a spreadsheet or database
table. It stores it as a text-
based file using commas (or
semi-colons in some
locations) to separate the
data items.
command line A user interface that
interface requires a user to type in
instructions, choose
options from a menu, open
software, etc.
complementar Type of semi-conductor chip
y metal oxide that holds data (usually the
semiconductor BIOS) without the need for
an external power source.
concept A type of keyboard where
keyboard icons or phrases replace
letters and numbers.
content layer One of the 3 layers in web
page development. The
content layer is used to
define the structure of the
webpage, often using tables
or frames and the content
of the pages including text
or images and hyperlinks to
other pages. The content
layer is often written in
html or xhtml.
contiguous Data that is placed together
data and can be selected in a
single range.
contrast Is the difference between
the amount of colour (or
greyscale) between two
different features within an
image.
control system A set of devices which
manage, command or
regulate the behaviour of
other devices or systems.
cookie Small files sent to a user’s
computer via their web
browser when they visit
certain websites. They
store information about the
user, which is accessed
each time they visit the
website.
copy To take a highlighted object
and place a copy of it into
the clipboard, leaving the
original object intact.
copyright Legislation in almost all
countries that is used to
discourage the illegal use
of text, images, software or
music.
cordless A mouse that uses WiFi or
mouse Bluetooth technology to
interface with the computer
without the need for any
connecting wires.
COUNT A function within Microsoft
Excel that looks at the cells
within a given range and
counts the number of these
cells containing numbers.
COUNTA A function within Microsoft
counts the number of non-
blank (not empty) cells.
COUNTIF A function within Microsoft
counts the number of these
cells that meet a given
condition.
CPU See central processing unit
CSS A language used for the
presentation layer in web
development. This language
is used to define how
elements of a webpage
appear in the web browser.
CSS elements can be
embedded within HTML or
attached to a web page as
a cascading stylesheet.
crash A computer stops
functioning normally and
will not respond to other
parts of the system – it
appears to freeze.
crop To remove unwanted areas
of an image – this may
change the aspect ratio but
will not distort the image.
CRT See cathode ray tube
monitor
currency The unit of money used by

countries, e.g. Egyptian
pounds, Kenyan shillings
and rupees in India and
Pakistan.
cursor The screen symbol that
shows where the next
action will take place. In
some applications such as
word processors the cursor
may flash on and off.
cut To take a highlighted object
and place it into the
clipboard, removing it from
its original location.
cut and paste To move a highlighted
object by cutting the object
and pasting the object into
a new location. This holds
another copy of the object
in the clipboard for if it
needs to be pasted again
into another location.
D
DAC See digital to analogue
converter
data file A collection of records
where each record is made
up of fields for the
individual data items (e.g.
name, address, etc.).
data integrity Refers to maintaining the
validity of data which can
be compromised in a
number of ways, e.g. by
data entry errors, viruses,
hardware malfunctions, etc.
The risks can be minimised
by security systems,
backing up data and by
having interfaces with built-
in error traps.
data logger A device that automatically
captures data from its
surroundings over a period
of time. It usually uses
sensors to gather the data,
which is then stored on a
computer for later analysis.
data packet The basic unit of
communication over a
digital network.
database A collection of information
structured in some way to
permit manipulation and
searching of the data.
date and time A field type within
Microsoft Access that is
used to store dates and
times.
decimal A data type used within
numeric fields in Microsoft
Access to store the data in
decimal format.
deprecate A deprecated markup
command or attribute is
one that is outdated and
may not work with future
web browsers. Deprecated
commands should not be
used in your markup.
descender The part of a lowercase
letter (g, j, p, q or y), that
falls below the baseline of
the letters.
desktop Software that allows text
publisher and graphics to be imported
from other applications and
then arranged and laid out
for the production of a
printed document.
dial-up modem A modem that uses the
normal telephone network,
dialling up the internet
service provider whenever
internet access is required.
Unlike with a broadband
modem, the system is not
always on. It also ties up
the telephone lines since it
uses the same bandwidth
as normal telephone
signals.
digital camera Cameras that don’t use film
to record photographs.
Light is picked up by
sensors and the resultant
image stored on a solid
state memory in the
camera.
digital data Discrete data (such as 0s
and 1s).
digital to A device used to convert
analogue digital signals into analogue
converter signals (so the computer
can control another device
such as a pump, motor,
etc.).
disk operating Type of operating system
system developed for PCs in the
1980s.
domain name Is the name given to the
place we can find a
particular website on the
Internet.
dongle A form of memory stick
used as a security device
when using software, in
order to reduce the risk of
software piracy.
DOS See disk operating system
download To transfer a file from a
central
computer/server/internet to
the user’s computer/
workstation.
DVD-R Optical storage device that
can be recorded on only
once.
DVD-RAM Optical storage device that
uses concentric tracks
(rather than single spiral as
used with normal CD and
DVD) to record data. It can
be written to and read from
many times
DVD-RW Optical storage device that
can be recorded on more
than once, i.e. can be
rewritten.
E
EEPROM See electrically erasable
programmable read only
memory
EFTPOS See electronic point of sale
electrically Memory system used in
erasable flash memory cards.
programmable
read only
memory
electronic System of transferring
funds transfer money from one bank
(EFT) account to another without
any paper money changing
hands. It is often used at
supermarket checkouts
when credit card
transactions are being
made.
electronic Terminal used to carry out
point of sale an electronic funds transfer.
terminal
email An electronic method of
sending documents and
other items such as photos
from one computer to
another, usually by way of
the internet.
embedded Small computer on a single
microprocesso integrated circuit
r consisting of a relatively
simple central processing
unit. Often used in car
engine management
systems, household
appliances, etc.
embedded One format of data that is
object inserted and saved within
data of another format.
embedded web A system that uses the
technology internet in real time to
control or interact with
devices in the home or as
part of an industrial
application. Use of a web-
enabled mobile phone, for
example, allows
instructions to be sent
remotely to devices in the
home (containing
embedded
microprocessors), thus
controlling their operation.
encryption The scrambling or encoding
of data using software to
make data unreadable to
unauthorised users.
EPOS See electronic point of sale
terminal
ergonomic A type of keyboard
keyboard designed to help relieve
health-related problems
such as repetitive strain
injury (RSI).
e-ticket Replacement for paper
tickets that customers
normally receive when
booking a plane ticket. The
electronic ticket (e-ticket)
number is stored on the
airline computer system
and the customer picks up
the paper ticket on arrival
at the airport.
evaluation A stage in systems analysis
where the effectiveness of
the new system is reviewed
and any necessary changes
are advised.
expert system A system that attempts to
reproduce the ability of
human experts in carrying
out complex tasks such as
medical diagnosis, etc.
extreme data Data which is on the
boundaries of acceptable
data; for example if people’s
ages can be in the range 18
to 65 then the values 18 and
65 are seen as extreme
data.
F
fact finding Formal process of using
research, interviews,
observation and examining
documents to find out how
a system works.
fax Short for facsimile machine;
used to send pages of text
over the telephone network.
feasibility Used to determine whether
study or not it is possible to
proceed with a new system
based on a number of
arguments such as cost,
constraints, etc.
field A place used to hold a
single data item within a
database.
field codes Individual information taken
from the data source in a
mail merged document.
file A logically organised
collection of records,
usually where all the
records are organised so
that they can be stored
together within a database.
file server A computer that provides
network
computers/workstations
with controlled access to
shared resources.
finalise The final stage in writing to
a CD. It turns the CD into a
CD-ROM and it is then
impossible to write any
more data on it. Finalising
also allows the CD to
played on other systems
(e.g. home entertainment
systems).
firewall A suite of software, located
on a network gateway
server, which protects the
resources of a network or
computer from users on
another network.
fixed hard disk A memory device inside a
drive computer which cannot be
removed. It uses a hard disk
to save programs, data, etc.
flash memory Form of EEPROM – solid
cards state memory used as
memory cards in cameras
and mobile phones, for
example.
flat file All records in a database
structure joined together to form one
large file rather than using
linked tables.
flat-file A database structure using
database a simple two-dimensional
table.
folksonomy Closely related to tagging
and literally means
‘management of people’.
footer The area at the bottom of a
document between the
bottom of the page and the
bottom margin.
foreign key Is the name given to a field
in a table within a relational
database, which is linked
by a relationship to a
primary key field in another
table.
format painter A tool used in many
packages to copy the
formatting from one part of
a document and apply it to
another.
formula A set of instructions used
to perform a calculation in
a spreadsheet. A formula
can include cell references,
numbers, mathematical
symbols and, in some
cases, pre-defined
functions.
frame Allows the user to display
more than one HTML
document in the same
browser window. Each
HTML document is called a
frame, and each frame is
separate from the others.
front end User interface to complex
structures such as
databases, whereby only
required fields and the user
interface can be seen. The
software in the background
appears ‘invisible’ and can
only be accessed by an
authorised person.
FTP File Transfer Protocol
allows a copy of data to be
sent from one computer to
another. It controls the data
and sends it in blocks,
checking each block as it
arrives for errors.
G
generic font A term used to describe a
family collection of fonts with
similar properties, e.g. serif
or sans serif. In web
programming, using a
generic font family allows
the web browser to select
any font stored on the
computer with the specified
properties.
GIF Graphics Interchange
Format: a format used to
save still or moving images.
This is an efficient method
of storing images using a
smaller file size,
particularly where there are
large areas of solid colour.
It is widely used in
webpages.
global Used to determine the
positioning exact location of a vehicle
satellite using a number of satellites
system positioned around the
Earth. Each satellite
transmits its position and
time so that the system can
calculate the exact
location.
GPS See global positioning
satellite system
graphical user A user interface that allows

interface a user to interact with a
computer (or other
electronic device) using
pictures or symbols (icons).
graphics tablet A device used to produce
freehand drawings (using a
stylus) which are stored in
a computer file.
GUI See graphical user
interface
H
hacker A person who gains
unauthorised access to a
computer system.
hard disk The computer’s main back-
up memory where
applications software,
documents and data files
are stored.
hardware The term to describe the
physical components that
make up the computer (e.g.
keyboard, mouse).
head The section of HTML in a
webpage that contains
page titles (visible in the
browser tab but not on the
page), styles (e.g. the links
to external stylesheets),
and the meta data (e.g. the
tags used by search
engines).
header The area at the top of a
document between the top
of the page and the top
margin.
hexadecimal A counting system based on
sixteens rather than tens,
also known as Hex. It uses
base 16 arithmetic and
includes the characters 0-9
and A-F.
highlight To select an object, e.g. a
piece of text, image, file,
cell, etc., so that it can be
edited or manipulated.
hit Used to describe when the
criteria has been met
during a search (e.g. when
searching a database or
using a search engine).
HLOOKUP A function within Microsoft
Excel that looks up data
using data organised in
horizontal rows.
hologram Photographic image that is
3D and also appears to have
depth. They are often used
on credit cards as an
additional security device.
hosted server Any computer on a network
which provides a service to
other computers on the
network.
HTML HyperText Markup
Language: a text-based
language used to create
markup, so that web
browser software will be
able to display information
in different ways.
hub A hardware device whose
main task is to take data
received at one of its ports
and then send it out to all
devices which are
connected to the other
ports of the hub.
hyperlink Allows a user to navigate
between
webpages/websites and is
often shown as a blue
underlined text or as a
small pointed finger.
I
identity theft A form of fraud that
involves somebody
pretending to be somebody
else in order to steal money
or gain other benefits.
IF A function within Microsoft
Excel that looks at a given
condition and performs an
operation if the condition is
met, or a different operation
if the condition is not met.
image source The name (and in some
cases URL) of an image file,
used so the web browser
can find and display the
image.
inference Software in an expert
engine system that attempts to
derive answers from the
knowledge base using a
form of reasoning. It is
effectively how expert
systems appear to use
human-like reasoning when
accessing information from
the knowledge base in an
effort to find a conclusion
to a given problem.
infrared The far red end of the light
spectrum, between the
visible and microwave part
of the electromagnetic
spectrum.
inkjet printer A type of printer which uses
inkjets to produce low-
volume, high-quality
printing.
input screen The part of a computer
screen where a user types
in the data or uses a touch
screen or pointing device to
choose an option.
INT A function within Microsoft
integer (whole number) part
of a number and ignores all
digits after the decimal
point.
integer A whole number with no
decimal places (e.g. 18,
107).
internet A wide area network
consisting of an
international network of
computer networks. It
enables anyone connected
to it to get information from
any other computer on the
system (if permitted).
internet A numerical identification
protocol (IP) and logical address that is
address given to a device using a
computer network. It uses
the internet protocol to
allow communication
between devices on the
network.
internet A company that provides
service users with access to the
provider internet for an agreed
monthly rental.
interview Asking people questions
face to face as part of the
fact finding stage in
systems analysis.
intranet A computer network based
on internet technology that
is designed to meet the
internal needs for sharing
information within a single
organisation.
IP See internet protocol
address
ISP See internet service
provider
itemised bill A bill which includes all the
items bought and the price
of each item plus any
discounts or other offers.
J
job queue A series of tasks
automatically carried out,
one after the other, by a
computer system – often
used in a batch processing
system.
joystick A device that consists of a
stick that is moved about to
control a pointer on the
screen and has buttons to
make selections.
JPEG A format used to save still
images, originally named by
the Joint Photographic
Expert Group. This is an
efficient method of storing
images using a smaller file
size and is widely used in
webpages.
junk mail Unsolicited mail sent to a
user’s computer, often
referred to as ‘spam’.
K
key field A unique field in a record
which is used to identify it
uniquely.
keyboard A device used to input text,
numbers and instructions
into a computer by pressing
keys.
knowledge A database designed to
base allow the complex storage
and retrieval requirements
of a computerised
knowledge-based
management system (in
support of an expert
system).
L
label A value entered as text (or
alphanumeric), often in a
spreadsheet cell or text
control box displayed within
elements of a database
package. This term is also
used within programming
but is not within the scope
of this book.
LAN See local area network
laptop A type of computer where
the monitor, keyboard,
pointing device and
processor are integrated
into one portable unit.
laser printer A type of printer that uses
laser technology to produce
high-volume, high-quality
output on paper.
lasso tool A tool used to select
objects by holding down the
left mouse button and
dragging the mouse around
it, then letting go.
layer Is used with images in
graphics software to allow
other objects (or parts of an
image) to be placed in front
of or behind other layers.
Layers can be transparent
(see through) or used to
hide other objects or parts
of an image.
light pen An input device are used to
draw on screen or select
items on screen – currently,
they only work with CRT
monitors.
local area A number of computers
network connected together, usually
located close to each other
(e.g. in one building).
logical The logic operators such as
operator AND, OR and NOT which
use Boolean algebra to
make decisions.
login The process of entering a
system or webpage, usually
by supplying a username
and password.
LOOKUP A function within Microsoft
Excel which looks up data
using the first row or the
first column of a range of
cells and returns a relative
value.
M
MAC See media access control
address
magnetic ink A system which can read
character characters printed in
recognition magnetic ink (e.g.
characters on the bottom of
a cheque).
magnetic Brown coloured magnetic
stripe stripes, found most often on
the back of credit/debit
cards, which hold
information such as the
account number.
magnetic tape A data storage device that
uses magnetised plastic
tape. 1s and 0s have a
different magnetic
signatures, which allows
data to be stored and read.
mail merging The process of combining a
main document (e.g. a
word-processed document)
with a data source (e.g. a
database), for example
adding names and
addresses automatically to
a document so it can be
easily set up for multiple
mailings.
mainframe A very large, very powerful
computer computer system.
malware Short for malicious
software – any
program/software that is
harmful to a computer
system, e.g. spyware.
MAX A function within Microsoft
maximum value in a list of
numbers.
media access Hardware address that
control (MAC) uniquely identifies each
address device on a network.
memory A solid state technology
stick/pen drive that is used as back-up
memories. It connects to
the computer via the
universal serial bus port.
merge codes Instructions coded
(programmed) into a mail
merge document which
control the format of the
merged document and may
produce different results
(for example: text or
images) depending upon
other conditions.
MICR See magnetic ink character
recognition
microprocesso A single integrated circuit
r that is the basis of most
PCs and is in many
household devices. It has
essentially the same
function as a computer
processing unit.
MIN A function within Microsoft
minimum value in a list of
numbers.
model A programmed simulation
of a situation or process
that will allow data to be
changed in order to
examine the effect that this
has on other data. This is
often done with a
spreadsheet and can be
used to predict future
trends.
modem A device that allows
computers to connect to a
network using the existing
telephone cable network.
monitoring Taking data from the
surroundings so that it can
be compared with
previously stored data on a
computer or computer file.
morphing A special effect in motion
pictures and animations
that changes (or morphs)
one image into another
through a seamless
transition. Most often it is
used to show one object
turning into another
through use of animation
software.
mouse An example of a pointing
device, which controls a
pointer on screen, allowing
selections to be made by
clicking a button.
MPEG-3 Moving Pictures Experts
Group layer 3 is a file
format used for storing
audio files. It compressed
the original audio (sound)
file to about 1/12 of the
original file size while
keeping the original sound
quality.
MPEG-4 Moving Pictures Experts
Group layer 4 is a file
format (multimedia
container) used for storing
video files. It is also used to
store audio (the soundtrack
to the video) and other data
like subtitles and still
images.
MP3 MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 – a
method of storing music
files in a compressed
format. Typically, an MP3
music file is 90 per cent
less than a conventional
music file used on a CD.
multimedia An output device that
projector receives signals from
computers (and other
electronic devices),
magnifies the image and
projects it onto a large
screen.
N
navigate To move around, e.g.
navigating a screen or
webpage means to move
about the page (often using
a pointing device) to select
suitable items.
netbook A computer that is similar
computer to a laptop but with smaller
dimensions.
network A series of nodes or
workstations
interconnected by
communication paths.
network hub A hardware device that can
have a number of
devices/computers
connected to it.
non-contiguous Data that occupies rows or
data columns that are not placed
together (often in a
spreadsheet) and cannot be
selected using a single
range.
normal data Data that is within an
acceptable range and is
usual for the situation.
notebook See laptop
computer
number A value entered in
numerical format, e.g. ‘5’ is
a number, whereas ‘five’
represents a number but is
in text format.
numeric data Consisting of numbers:
real, integer or fixed
decimal.
numeric A type of keyboard usually
keypad consisting of numbers and
simple mathematical
operations.
O
observation Part of the fact finding
stage in systems analysis,
which involves watching
people doing tasks.
OCR See optical character
recognition
OMR See optical mark
recognition
online Connected to a computer or
to a network. Often used to
describe somebody who is
currently connected to the
internet.
online Using the internet to
processing process information and
carry out transactions, e.g.
in online booking systems.
online Shopping and banking using
shopping and the internet to purchase
banking goods, transfer money
between accounts, pay
bills, etc.
operating Allows users to
system communicate with
computer systems,
controlling many tasks such
as maintaining security,
loading software, etc.
optical A system that takes
character scanned text and converts
recognition it into computer readable
form so it can be used in a
word processor and other
applications software.
optical mark A system which can read
recognition marks written in pencil or
pen on a paper – used to
read answers on
questionnaires, multiple
choice exam papers, etc.
optical mouse Mouse that uses a red LED
light source to detect
movement rather than a
rubber ball.
optical storage A storage device that uses
device light (lasers) to read and
write data on optically
active surfaces. They
include CDs, DVDs and DVD-
RAMs.
ordered list A list of objects within a
webpage that are in
numerical order.
orphan The first line of the
paragraph at the bottom of
the page, with the rest of
the paragraph appearing on
the next page.
P
password A sequence of letters
and/or numbers used as an
additional security to user
ID when logging onto a
network or single computer.
paste To take a copy of an object
from the clipboard and
place it in a new location.
PC See personal computer
PDA See personal digital
assistant
PDF Portable Document Format
is a method of allowing
documents to be read/used
on most computers. The
pages look just like they
would when they are
printed but can contain
clickable links and buttons,
form fields, video, and
audio. You can protect a
document to stop others
editing it.
PNG Portable Network Graphics
is a graphics file format
that supports data
compression. PNG is the
most used lossless image
compression format used
on the Internet.
percentage A system used in web
authoring to ensure that
objects have relative sizes
rather than absolute sizes.
For example, if a table has
the width attribute set to 50
per cent, the table will fill
50 per cent of the screen,
irrespective of the screen
size or resolution.
personal A general purpose
computer computer which is usually
IBM-compatible.
personal A small handheld computer
digital that comes with a touch
assistant screen activated by a
stylus.
personal A form of password, often a
identification four-digit code used to gain
number access to an account (e.g.
when internet banking or
when purchasing an item
using a credit card).
pharming A scam in which malicious
code is installed on a
computer hard disk or
server. The code has the
ability to misdirect users to
fraudulent websites without
their knowledge.
phishing A fraudulent operation
involving the use of emails.
The creator sends out a
legitimate-looking email
hoping to gather personal
information once the
recipient opens the email.
pica An absolute measure of size
used in website authoring.
1 pica is the same as 12
points.
PIN See personal identification
number
pinching Using two fingers together
to shrink something on a
display screen (e.g. on a
personal digital assistant).
pixel One dot or square on the
screen. It is the smallest
item that can appear on a
screen. The number of
pixels displayed on the
screen depends upon the
screen resolution.
placeholder A control placed within a
mail merge document that
is used to hold field codes
or to hold merge codes.
plotter An output device that
produces very large and
very accurate printed
copies on paper,
generallyused in CAD
software.
PNG Portable Network Graphics:
a format used to store still
images. This is an efficient
method of storing images
and was designed to
replace JPG (JPEG). It is
widely used in webpages.
podcasting Audio broadcasts that can
be downloaded from the
internet and listened to
using personal media
players
point An absolute measure of size
used in website authoring.
1 point is the same as 12
points.
pointing device A device used to navigate a
graphical user interface, e.g
mouse, tracker ball or
joystick.
pop-up A form of online advertising
on the internet intended to
attract web visitors or
capture email addresses.
post-WIMP An interaction where
fingers are in contact with
a small touch screen,
allowing actions such as
pinching and rotating.
precision The accurate placing of an
framing image (or other object) to
align to the page, column
margins or other objects
upon the page
presentation Software that allows you to
authoring create multimedia
package presentations and displays
using a series of linked
slides
presentation One of the 3 layers in web
layer page development. The
presentation layer is used
to define how a webpage
will look to the viewer. It
dictates the colour
schemes, themes and
styles seen when a
webpage is displayed and is
usually written in CSS.
presenter Printed copies of the slides
notes from a presentation, with
the additional notes to be
read from (or used as
prompts) by the person
delivering the presentation.
These notes are not usually
given to the audience.
price A website that gives a
comparison comparison of prices from
service different retailers together
with a link to the retailer’s
website
primary key A single field within a
relational database table
that contains unique data
(no two records within this
field can contain the same
data). A primary key field
cannot contain a blank
record.
primary A method of data gathering
research used in market research
whereby prospective or
existing customers are
interviewed by the
organisation themselves.
See also secondary
research
process The use of computers or
control microprocessors to control
a process, usually
industrial, such as the
maintaining of a production
line
processing The manipulation of input
data to produce a required
output from an ICT system
program (verb) To create a set of
instructions that will
produce a required output
from an ICT system
program The written documents that
documentation accompany a program upon
implementation. It advises
on how the program works,
what the instructions mean
and how to make future
amendments
programmable A type of computer or
logic controller microcomputer that is used
for a single purpose. It is
able to accept analogue
and digital inputs, and a set
of logic statements is used
to compare the input with a
pre-set value. Depending on
the result, it activates the
output devices. See also
proportional-integral-
derivative
programmer Somebody who writes
programs. See also
computer programmer
programming A computer-based language
language that is used to write code
that will use a sequence of
instructions to perform a
task within the computer
project A method of ensuring that a
management project is completed within
the timescale and monetary
budget allowed by a
business
prompt Text used to instruct the
user what information they
are required to enter when
a mail merge is run
proportional- An algorithm that is an
integral- integral part of closed loop
derivative computer controlled
systems. It calculates the
difference between the
input value and the pre-set
value, and then causes the
programmable logic
controller (PLC) to make
proportional changes to the
output so that the pre-set
value is eventually reached
protocol A set of rules that governs
how communication
between two devices will
occur
proxy server A computer that lies
between a user and a
server in order to intercept
requests.
pseudo code A type of code which
resembles computer
programming code but is
easily readable by a person.
They are often used in
algorithms as a description
of what a computer
program is going to do.
public key A feature of encryption that
authentication allows one computer to
know that a computer
trying to communicate with
it is genuine
public-key A type of encryption key
that is given out by a
computer to enable other
computers to encrypt data
to send to it
purpose-built Software that is especially
software created by programmers for
a particular situation
Q
questionnaire A collection of questions
written down on a form that
enables collection of data.
The answers to the
questions are normally
completed on the form
itself
QWERTY Type of keyboard format
where the letters are
arranged as QWERTY….
R
radio button A type of graphical user
interface element that
allows the user to choose
only one of a pre-defined
set of options. They are
usually shown as a dot on
the screen next to the
option.
RAM See random access
memory
random access An internal chip where data
memory is temporarily stored while
running applications. It can
be written to as well as
read from.
range check Checks that the data is
within a given range
RAR Is a file format for a
container (like a zip file)
that can hold other files
and folders. It its name
from Roshal Archive and
was developed by a Russian
software engineer Eugene
Roshal.
RAS See remote access
services
read only Allows a user to view the
document/file but not to
make changes to it
read only A memory used to store
memory information that needs to
be permanent (e.g.
configuration data for a
computer system).
real number A number containing a
decimal (e.g. 2.75, 8.5,
<minus sign>12.55).
real-time An online system where any
(transaction) changes lead to an
processing immediate update of the
filing system, e.g. if a flight
is booked, the seat is
immediately marked on a
database as no longer
available thus preventing,
for example, double
booking.
real-time A system involving sensors
process and feedback loops to
control control or monitor a
process.
record A collection of fields
containing information
about one data subject
(usually a person) or one
object within a database
relational A database structure where
database data items are linked
together with relational
tables. It maintains a set of
separate, related files
(tables), but combines data
elements from the files for
queries and reports when
required
relative Automatically adjusts a cell
referencing reference within a
spreadsheet to refer to
different cells relative to
the position of the formula
during the replication
process
relative value Allows a value to change
depending upon other
factors, for example in a
webpage a table width can
be set to 50%. This table
will always remain 50% of
the window/frame width,
but will not appear the
same if the size of the
browser window is
changed.
remote access Services that allow people
services working away from home to
access the desktop on their
own PC remotely
remote control An input device that allows
the user to control other
devices from a distance. It
is most frequently used
with home entertainment
systems
rendering The process of adding
realism to computer
graphics (usually in 3D)
using computer software. It
usually involves adding
such affects as shadows,
variations in colour and
shade, etc. to give the
illusion of 3D.
report layout How a report (an output
form) is set out in terms of,
for example, headings and
the output from the system
repository Single storage area for files
edited by multiple users,
usually managed by a
single user with files saved
using version control
requirements An element of the analysis
specification phase of the systems life
cycle. It is a list of the
features of a system that is
required, including general
user requirements and
specific requirements
rich text A file format (.rtf) used for
format text-based files that saves
the formatting within the
document, so allowing
some formatting to be
passed from one
applications package to
another
ring network An increasingly rare type of
network topology. Each
computer is connected to
each of its neighbours and
data is transmitted around
the network
robot A device often used in
industrial applications to
act independently, having
been programmed to carry
out a specific task or tasks
ROM See read only memory
ROUND Function within Microsoft
Excel that rounds a number
up to a specified number of
decimal places
Router A device which enables
data to be routed between
different networks e.g.
between a local area
network and a wide area
network.
rules base In an expert system, a set
of rules that an inference
engine uses, together with
the data or facts in the
knowledge base, to reason
through a problem
S
sans serif A font style where the ends
of characters do not
contain small strokes
called serifs, e.g. Arial.
satellite See global positioning
navigation satellite system
system
scam An attempt to defraud
somebody.
scanner A device that converts
information on paper into
an image which can be
stored in a computer file.
scenario A description of a set of
circumstances. It is used to
set the scene for some
examination questions
screen display Sometimes used
interchangeably with
screen layout, but usually
refers to input as displayed
on a computer monitor
screen layout The layout of output as
displayed on a computer
monitor
screenshot An image of the screen
taken at a particular
moment in time. There are
software packages that will
obtain screenshot
(sometimes called screen
grab) evidence for you. The
easiest way is to press the
<Print Screen> (sometimes
labelled <Prt Scr>) button
on the keyboard to place
what is currently on the
screen in the clipboard.
This can then be pasted
into a document as
evidence of your work.
SD memory See secure digital memory
card card
search engine Software that retrieves
documents or files or data
from a database or from a
computer network
(especially from the
internet).
SECOND Function within Microsoft
Excel that returns a number
between 0 and 59 as the
number of seconds shown
on a clock from a given
time
secondary A method of market
research research that involves the
examination of research
that either the organisation
concerned or another
organisation has carried
out before. See also
primary research
section The area of a document
that has page formatting
that applies throughout that
section
secure digital A type of memory card used
memory card to record digital audio
broadcast (DAB) radio
programmes and used in
digital cameras, handheld
computers and global
positioning system (GPS)
devices
secure shell A network protocol that is
used for remotely
accessing a computer or
server using encryption
security
sensor A device used to monitor
physical variables such as
temperature and pressure.
They are used in monitoring
and control systems
serial access A method of accessing
data, used primarily on
magnetic tapes where it is
necessary to start at the
beginning and access each
piece of data in turn until
the required data is found.
serif A font style where the ends
of characters contain small
strokes called serifs, e.g.
Times New Roman.
server A device used to control
networks (e.g. file servers
allow users on a network to
save/load data).
shell Software that provides the
user interface, knowledge
base editor, inference
engine and explanation
system in an expert system.
The knowledge engineer
uses it to build a system to
solve a particular set of
problems
shopping cart Software used to create the
software representation of a
shopping cart for
customers to buy goods
online
simulation The process of imitating
something using a
computer system. The
software uses
mathematical formulae or
models to simulate the
actual environment.
simulator A machine that simulates
an environment for the
purpose of training or for
research.
single stepping A type of testing after a
system has been developed.
The system is run one step
at a time so that the exact
point where the any
differences between actual
results and expected
results occurred can be
clearly seen in the
programming code
skimming A type of identity fraud
where a card that is swiped
legitimately in a retail
outlet is swiped again on
another machine that reads
all the details from the
card. This data is then
transferred to a blank card
for further use
SKIPIF Function within mail merge
that allows the mail merge
to omit documents if
certain conditions are met
when the mail merge is run
smart card A type of credit/debit/loyalty
card which contains a chip
as well as a magnetic
stripe. The chip contains
information which can be
read but can also be
updated.
social A website that focuses on
networking building online communities
site of users who share the
same interests and
activities. They are fast
becoming the modern way
of socially interacting and
allow people to
communicate across the
globe.
software The term to describe
programs that control
computer systems such as
systems software and
applications programs.
software Unauthorised duplication,
piracy distribution or use of
computer software.
solid state A type of magnetic storage
backing store media that uses microchip
technology rather than thin
film magnetic surfaces.
speech Software that is able to
recognition convert input speech to
software text for use with text-based
applications
spread Can be implemented in
spectrum several different ways, but
technology the most common type
involves frequency hopping:
instead of just transmitting
on one frequency, a spread
spectrum system switches
rapidly from one frequency
to the next. The choice of
the next frequency is
random, so it is almost
impossible for someone to
eavesdrop or jam the
signal). It is used on
cordless phones and in WiFi
networks.
spreadsheet Software used for
performing calculations and
for modelling situations
using data arranged in a
grid consisting of rows and
columns
spreadsheet A spreadsheet that is used
model to investigate different
outcomes by changing one
or more variables within it.
spyware Software put on a computer
with malicious intent that
allows people to access
that computer and control
its functions
SSH See secure shell
SSL See secure sockets layer
star network A network topology where
each computer or device is
connected to a central hub
or switch
sticky keys A feature used in many
types of software that
allows the user to press
combination keys such as
<Ctrl> C consecutively
rather than simultaneously.
It is very helpful for people
with poor motor
coordination
storage A medium used for storing
medium data, e.g. magnetic disk,
tape or optical disk
style Pre-defined settings
relating to the formatting of
text, such as font size,
typeface, font alignment,
etc. that can be applied to
text to ensure the
consistency of display
stylesheet A basic structure for a
document. In terms of a
webpage, it is set of pre-
defined styles for some or
all page elements which
can be embedded into a
web page
submit button A button or icon found in
many input forms that when
pressed causes the data on
the screen to be stored
subscript Characters that sit below
the baseline in a piece of
text and usually have a
reduced point size, e.g. the
number 2 in H2O
SUBTOTAL Function within Microsoft
function for a range of value
or cells. The parameters
passed to this function
determine how it will work,
e.g. it could be used to
calculate the SUM, the
AVERAGE, etc.
SUM Function within Microsoft
Excel that adds up a list of
numbers or specified cells
SUMIF Function within Microsoft
adds the total from those
cells that meet a given
condition
supercomputer A computer that has
hundreds of thousands of
dual processors. It is a
collection of computers
that are connected through
a high-speed network
superscript Characters that sit above
the baseline in a piece of
text and usually have a
reduced point size, e.g. the
number 2 in 7 m2
switch A device that can have a
number of other devices or
computers connected to it.
It is able to direct network
traffic using the MAC
address of a data packet
syntax A set of rules defining how,
for example, software must
be written so the computer
can understand it. It is
equivalent to syntax in
normal language where
rules determine how we
write down sentences with
commas, etc.
systems A phase in the systems life
analysis cycle. When an existing
system is to be replaced by
a new system, this phase
involves examining the
existing system in detail
using some or all of
interviewing users, giving
questionnaires to users,
observation of people using
the existing system and
examination of documents
used in the existing system
systems An individual who is
analyst responsible for the phases
of the systems life cycle
being carried out
systems A detailed overview of the
documentation whole system, including
test plans, test results, the
results of the analysis of
the existing system, what is
expected of the system and
decisions that were made
at the design stage
systems Used in the design of a new
flowchart system, a diagrammatical
representation of how data
will flow through the new
system. It includes
programming requirements,
although not the detail of
programming required
systems life The stages in the creation
cycle or modification of a new
information system
T
table A two-dimensional grid of
data organised by rows and
columns within a database.
Each row of the table
contains a record. Each
column in the table
represents a field and each
cell in that column has the
same (pre-defined) field
type
tag A command used in HTML
to instruct a web browser
how to display text, images
or other objects. The tags
are not displayed with the
webpage. Some tags are
used with attributes.
tagging The practice of creating
and managing labels (or
‘tags’) that label content
using simple keywords.
They are often used on
social networking websites
to tag photographs and
bookmark other websites,
for example.
TAN See transaction number
TCP See transmission control
protocol
technical Documentation that
documentation accompanies a new or
modified information
system. It is developed to
help any systems analyst or
programmer understand the
technical aspects of the
system
teleworking A method of working that
involves employees
spending all or some of
their working week at
home, using their home as
an office and making use of
ICT to do so
terminator The endpoint at either end
of the spine in a bus
network
TEXT Function within Microsoft
Excel that changes the
formatting of the current
cell from a numeric or
date/time value into text
format
text editor Software that allows you to
type and edit plain text. It
contains few or no features
that allow formatting of
documents
text file A file format (.txt) used for
text-based files that
contains an unformatted
ASCII file, although there
are file format variations
depending upon the
operating system. These
files can be opened in any
word processor.
text wrapping To make the text
automatically wrap around
any object (e.g. a text box
or frame) in a document
TFT See thin film transistor
monitor
thin film Flat panel liquid crystal
transistor display (LCD) monitors.
monitor There is a separate tiny
transistor for each pixel
which means they use very
little power.
topology An arrangement of
computers/devices in a
network (e.g. bus, star, ring
or tree).
touch screen An input device that allows
the user to choose from
options on the screen by
pressing the option on the
screen with a finger
touchpad Used on laptops as a type
of pointing device.
trackerball A pointing device with a
ball on the top which
controls the on-screen
cursor. Unlike a mouse, the
trackerball does not
physically move.
tracked An electronic record of all
changes changes made to a
document during editing.
This shows the changes
made and usually includes
the editor’s name and when
the changes were made
tracking See tracked changes
transaction A password that is used
number once only as a security
method in online banking
transducer An electrical device that
converts one form of energy
into another (e.g. a
microphone converts sound
energy into electrical
energy).
transmission A network protocol for the
control transmission of data that
protocol ensures that data is
delivered accurately
transponder A device used for
transmitting television
programmes. It is attached
to a communications
satellite, which receives
signals from the uplink
satellite dish and transmits
them back to earth to
receiving satellite dishes
tree network A combination of two or
more star networks
connected together. The
central hubs of each star
network are connected to a
central cable as with a bus
network – thus a tree
network is a bus network of
star networks.
Trojan horse A program similar in effect
to a virus except that it
does not replicate itself. It
appears to be a useful
piece of software, but when
executed deletes files on
the hard disk
troubleshootin Part of user documentation
g guide that comes with a new ICT
system. It advises users on
how to overcome commonly
occurring problems
tunnelling The use of a publicly
accessible network to carry
encrypted data from source
to destination computers
turtle graphics A popular way of drawing
shapes on a computer
screen (or by controlling a
‘floor turtle’ that can move
around). There are a set
number of commands such
as RIGHT x, LEFT x, TURN
d, etc.
tweening The process of generating
intermediate frames
between two graphic
computer images to give
the appearance that the
first image transforms
smoothly into the second
image.
twisted pair Type of network cable used
to transmit data between
devices on a network. It
consists of two conducting
wires twisted around each
other. This reduces the
magnetic interference and
hence data loss during
transmission
type check A validation check that
makes sure that the data is
of a particular data type
U
uniform The unique address of any
resource document found on the
location internet. Typically the
address is divided into
parts. The first part of the
address gives the protocol,
commonly HTTP, the
second part gives the name
of the computer (e.g.
www.cie.org.uk). There is
sometimes a third part
which gives the directory
on the computer where the
document file name can be
found
universal serial Serial bus standard to
bus connect devices to a
computer.
universal serial A type of port that allows a
bus port variety of devices to
connect to computers or
microprocessors so that
data can be received from
or sent to the devices
unordered An unordered file of data is
one wherein the data is not
in any particular order. It is
not sorted on any particular
field
unordered list A list of objects within a
webpage that are prefixed
with bullet points.
updating The process whereby an
existing system or store is
changed to bring it up to
date.
uplink satellite A very large satellite dish
dish used by television
broadcasters to transmit
programme signals to a
communications satellite
for onward transmission to
satellite receivers
upload To copy files from a smaller
computer system to a
larger central system (e.g.
uploading some
photographs from your
computer to a website).
URL See uniform resource
locator
USB See universal serial bus
USB port See universal serial bus
port
user Documentation that is
documentation provided to the user of a
new ICT system to enable
the user to understand how
to operate the new system
user ID A sequence of characters
that identifies a user when
logging onto any network or
single computer.
user interface The method by which a
computer interacts with a
user. It normally consists of
a specially designed screen
that allows the user to input
information as well as
providing output to the user
username The identifier a user types
into an ICT system in order
to gain access to the
system. Every user has a
unique username so that
authentication can be
carried out
V
validation A process where the
software checks that the
data entered into it is
reasonable, often in a
database or spreadsheet
verification A process that checks the
accuracy of data entry or
that data has not been
corrupted during
transmission, often using
double entry or visual
verification
version control A filenaming convention
used to manage files edited
by multiple users, where
each saved version of a file
is given a managed naming
convention, often
identifying sequential
version numbers and
sometimes authors’ initials
video Audio and visual
conferencing communication between
people at different
geographical sites using
the internet or some other
wide area network. It
makes use of special
hardware (such as
webcams, microphones and
speakers) and special
software (such as CODEC or
communications software).
video-on- A system that allows
demand viewers to watch video over
a network. The film is either
constantly being
transmitted over the
network or downloaded in
one go to a set-top box,
allowing the viewer to
watch it at their
convenience
virtual private The use of publicly
network accessible networks to
communicate private
information. It is not
physically private but
involves the use of security
methods that make it
practically impenetrable
virus A software program that
can replicate itself over and
over again on a hard disk. It
also transfers from one
computer to another and
may modify or delete files
from a hard disk
visual A type of verification where
verification data is entered and the
original data is compared
visually to the data entered
into the system
VLOOKUP Function within Microsoft
Excel that looks up data
using data organised in
vertical columns
VOD See video-on-demand
voice over IP The use of the internet to
send voice data in the form
of digital data packets
using internet protocols.
VOIP See voice over IP
W
WAN See wide area network
war driving The act of searching for
WiFi networks by driving
around in a vehicle. It
requires some form of
antenna, a portable
computer/personal digital
assistant and special
software.
Web See world wide web
Web 2.0 Second generation of
internet development and
design.
web authoring Software used for creating
package web pages
web browser Software that allows you to
display webpages from an
intranet or the internet.
Webcams Miniature video cameras
that are connected to
computers to transmit
video across a network.
Their main use is in
videoconferencing
web-enabled A mobile phone that allows
mobile phone the user access to the
internet.
weblog See blog
Webpage A single page of information
displayed in a format that
can be viewed on a web
browser through either the
intranet or the internet.
Website A collection of interrelated
webpages that relate to one
topic or organisation and
usually accessible via the
internet.
white space An area of a document that
contains no text or images
and just contains the paper,
hence the term ‘white
space’ referring to the
blank colour of the paper.
Documents normally have
‘white space’ between the
margin settings and the
edge of the page.
wide area A network formed by
network connecting several local
area networks together
using routers or modems
Widow A last line of text of a
paragraph that appears at
the top of a page, with the
rest of the paragraph on the
previous page
WiFi A system where it is
possible to connect to a
network or single computer
through wireless
communications.
WiFi protected A method of wireless
network security that has
very complex encryption,
with long keys, and that
also incorporates user
authentication
Wiki A website created for the
purpose of any user who
has access to it being able
to edit it
wildcard A character that may be
search used in a search term to
represent one or more other
characters. In terms of a
database wildcard searches
are often used to find
specified text within a field.
The question mark ‘?’ is
often used to represent a
single alphanumeric
character in a search and
the * character is often
used to represent a number
of alphanumeric characters.
WIMP See windows icons menu
and pointing system
windows icons A form of graphical user
menu and interface where a mouse is
pointing used to control a cursor and
system icons are selected to
open/run windows.
wireless local A local area network with
area network no wires or cables, other
than the wiring that
connects the WLAN access
points together. A WLAN
uses either spread
spectrum radio waves or
infrared signals to enable
devices to communicate
with each other
wireless A device that acts like a
network network card but
interface communicates by
controller transmitting data in the
form of radio waves rather
than by using cables
wireless A small communications
personal area network usually created for
network use by just one person
using Bluetooth technology
WLAN See wireless local area
network
WNIC See wireless network
interface controller
word Software that allows you to
processor create, edit and format
documents
worldwide web A system of connected
HTML documents accessed
via the internet using a web
browser
worm A piece of destructive
software that replicates
like a virus but uses
information about the
method of communication a
networked computer uses
to cause itself to be
transported to another
computer
WPA See WiFi protected access
WPAN See wireless personal area
network
WYSIWYG What You See Is What You
Get: in terms of website
authoring, relates to
packages that create or
edit HTML markup using a
graphics interface. For
example, you may enlarge
or reduce the size of an
image on a webpage by
using the drag handles. The
WYSIWYG package will edit
the HTML markup so that
this change will appear
whenever the page is
opened.
Y
YEAR Function within Microsoft
Excel that returns the year
from a given date
Z
zip To reduce the number of
bytes needed to save a file,
either to save storage
space or to reduce
transmission time

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graphical user A user interface that allows

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